What about this?

Traveling can be exciting and fun, but it can also be wearisome. Here are a few travel tips that can make your next long trip a little easier. By the way, for those of you who laughed or scoffed at my traveling medicine bag, let me just say that several items in it were needed and used during my recent trip to Greece!

#1 – Have iPad, Will Travel
The cell phone I carry is a generations-old flip phone and I do not own a laptop computer, so when I received an iPad for my birthday, I was delighted! It was the perfect distraction for this restless traveler during the long flights. I played games, read books and news, did crossword puzzles, listened to audiobooks and music, word processed, designed jewelry, and more! I also downloaded these helpful applications to it before leaving: calculator, weather, flight control, currency exchange, Greek translator, and wifi finder. The irony with the wifi finder is that you need wifi to employ the finder! If not for the fact that I had to stand on street corners in Athens to get adequate wifi, I would have enjoyed posting to my blog and checking my email more often. It’s an indulgent toy, but it made my trip more pleasant and my backpack lighter!

#2 – Oh My Aching Neck

I read about this tip in a travel magazine years ago and have since used it many times with great success. Buy a soft foam cervical collar from a drugstore or a medical supply store for about $15.00. It’s smaller, more compact, and offers more support than basic neck travel pillows. When dozing off, your head and neck are comfortably supported – 360 degrees around – in an upright position. Your head can tilt in any direction and your neck does not ache during long flights. Of course, you will need to get over the fact that you’ll look like a whiplash victim!

#3 – No Jet Lag Pills

One of my friends gave me a package of No Jet Lag Pills before I left home. I dutifully doled them out to me and my husband during our flights to Greece as directed. We arrived in Greece after a day’s worth of travel – tired, but still energetic enough to meet my daughter and her roommates for a late dinner and a rainy walk back to our hotel. On our return flight home, I accidentally packed the pills away in my checked luggage and could not dispense them. I’ve felt jet lagged for days now and wish I had taken them! The pills are made from homeopathic ingredients and can be purchased online.

#4 – Socks That Might Make a Difference
Before one of my trips to Asia, my doctor told me to buy compression travel socks and to make sure to put them on before boarding the aircraft. With their gradual compression, these socks stimulate blood flow and eliminate swelling of legs and feet. They are especially good when traveling for long periods of time, because when the muscles of the legs are inactive, blood can collect in the lower extremities and increase the risk of developing DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when traveling for more than four hours you should :

* Get up and move around every two to three hours
* Keep hydrated and drink plenty of water
* Reduce alcohol or caffeine consumption
* Avoid crossing legs for long periods

These socks can be found in most travel stores or online.

#5 – The Most Important Trip
The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway. ~Henry Boye

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